At the time, well over 9,000 claims dating back to July were backlogged because they needed to be manually reviewed. That typically happens because the claimant received an overpayment after underreporting wages. This can happen unintentionally or fraudulently, so state workers go back and check for fraud.

The backlog number is now down to fewer than 4,700 for cases filed before Dec. 10, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's spokesman, John Dipko, told me.

Dipko also helped out one of our readers, Milwaukee resident Kisha Duncan, who had been struggling to pay her rent for three months when she contacted the Journal Sentinel.

"It's been hard enough to keep milk for the baby and diapers and what else I need. I only work part time," she said at the time.

Dipko said Duncan's case stemmed from an accidental overpayment. He was able to get her claim from Sept. 17 expedited and resolved.

About Gitte Laasby

Gitte Laasby is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Public Investigator. She investigates government issues and consumer affairs.